Yesterday school ended for the semester. On the good hand, most of my kids did very well (much better than expected, and better than I think any class before them) on their mid-term. This translates into only 2, maybe 3 who didn't pass the semester. The day was actually kind of fun and different - the Social Studies team on the 7th grade had the kids in teams making a product for the past few weeks. Many beads, plastic lanyard strings, sparkles and paint were in evidence up to yesterday, which was the marketplace, set up in the cafeteria. The project taught about teamwork, but yesterday taught them about free trade. Some kids had unique or desirable stuff (homemade brownies sold out first). Others had the same stuff others did, like small snack bags of chips. They realized quickly they had to stand out, and then the fun began. Some groups had barkers, others started offering 2 bags for the same price as others had one. I was outside of all this, selling tickets (no cash inside the cafeteria) along with another math teacher. All told the 2 hours netted over $900 (mind you, this is a school where the kids can't afford to pay $2 a day for their lunch, but instead get it free) which goes toward field trips in the coming semester.
Last night was my youngest's orchestra holiday recital, in which she had a solo. Painfully we have to sit through the kindergarten program (every year). Then the music teacher forgot that she had a solo, and wrapped that portion without her performing (he didn't have a list of who had been practicing...go figure). She was pretty devastated, and we could see how upset she was, but she still performed the last two numbers of the concert. She was VERY upset last night, crying and threatening she would not go to school this morning, and she would quit orchestra.
This morning she is in slightly better spirits. Wife and I will go to the school performance (gah, another Kindergarten program), and the teacher has promised to not only remember, but put her first. I also made pancakes for breakfast - man it is easy to do things early in the morning when you are used to leaving by 6:30 - which helped her cheer up some.
Also last night the bigger dog rooted into my bag (closed with velcro) and consumed a loaf cake (wrapped in decorated plastic, and in a foil pan) while we were out. She got a BIG reminder who the alpha dog is (I don't think she liked being carried through the house by the scruff of the neck, back to the scene of the crime) and we are shopping for a muzzle so we can curb her chewing during the day while we are out.
Many many errands today, and both girls are done with school by lunchtime. Then it is officially VACATION time.
Friday, December 19, 2008
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Weather Woes
Everything with the weather is always doom and gloom. Last week it was torrential downpours. This week, a rapid cold front with National Weather Service warnings on ice storms. So...
Schools close early. Not canceled, but let's create chaos at the end of the day during the week of mid-term exams. Our students were released about an hour early. Same situation with my daughter's schools.
End result - no precipitation at all over Memphis. Northwest of us got ice, southeast of us got rain. We got jack-all. Unless you count endless hours of weather forecasters breaking in and updating us on what wasn't happening (but still could - possibly - maybe).
Today I am sure 10-15% of my students won't be in school. Which wouldn't be a problem, except they have to take a mid-term, which I have to grade, enter into a computer system (which automatically calculates the semester average), input the score into a spreadsheet of my own design (which calculates the semester average, so there is backup in case the system doesn't work). So a delay on their part translates to a delay on my part.
And if I want to not come to work on Friday, all my grades need to be entered by the end of Thursday. And because of yesterday's early dismissal, I am behind on much of it.
And speaking of mid-terms, let's not go into the stupid requirements from the district. Each test must be no more than 40 questions (this is covering 4 chapters, mind you, spread over 18 weeks). Every question must be linked to a state performance indicator (this is after we were told to disregard these indicators, since we don't want to teach to the TCAP test). And mid-terms will be administered during a regular class period, instead of the normal double length (which gave students enough time to complete the test...usually). So I have a test that doesn't adequately assess the students' knowledge of the material, shoved into a time allotment that is too short.
Yeah, we are all about the children...all about the learning.
Schools close early. Not canceled, but let's create chaos at the end of the day during the week of mid-term exams. Our students were released about an hour early. Same situation with my daughter's schools.
End result - no precipitation at all over Memphis. Northwest of us got ice, southeast of us got rain. We got jack-all. Unless you count endless hours of weather forecasters breaking in and updating us on what wasn't happening (but still could - possibly - maybe).
Today I am sure 10-15% of my students won't be in school. Which wouldn't be a problem, except they have to take a mid-term, which I have to grade, enter into a computer system (which automatically calculates the semester average), input the score into a spreadsheet of my own design (which calculates the semester average, so there is backup in case the system doesn't work). So a delay on their part translates to a delay on my part.
And if I want to not come to work on Friday, all my grades need to be entered by the end of Thursday. And because of yesterday's early dismissal, I am behind on much of it.
And speaking of mid-terms, let's not go into the stupid requirements from the district. Each test must be no more than 40 questions (this is covering 4 chapters, mind you, spread over 18 weeks). Every question must be linked to a state performance indicator (this is after we were told to disregard these indicators, since we don't want to teach to the TCAP test). And mid-terms will be administered during a regular class period, instead of the normal double length (which gave students enough time to complete the test...usually). So I have a test that doesn't adequately assess the students' knowledge of the material, shoved into a time allotment that is too short.
Yeah, we are all about the children...all about the learning.
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
The heaven's opened
Rain from pre-dawn through now....probably in excess of 3 inches. Sunlight nonexistent. Enough rain to actually move the heaps of leaves from the gutters in the streets.
Picked up the bike yesterday, all tuned up and ready for the next 6 months. Funny story - as I am driving home with the bike on the rack on the trunk of the car, I look and notice while the headlight is still there, the tail light is gone. Just the mounting bracket in place. I wonder if it is worth calling the shop. When I get home, I park the bike in the storage room. And there on the bag of the mower is the light - must have gotten knocked off earlier when we were moving a bed out and the whole row of bikes knocked over.
Counting down until no students. All review this week, which is a challenge in itself, keeping it interesting. Plus the kids are becoming more of a handful, and we are cracking down as need be. Just so difficult when we are being instructed by the administration to teach to the test (despite claiming not to).
The holidays mean candy. Ordered some of the annual caramel box (5 pounds) from the Mississippi Abbey. Nuns. Convent. Happy prayerful candy. Which made me think of this candy store near Colorado Springs, in a little touristy town on the way to Pike's Peak. They had tons of cool candy, plus made their own fudge. Oldest daughter found some peppermint ribbon candy the other day which brought back memories. That was the traditional candy growing up for Christmas, aside from my mother's homemade fudge. Nowdays I really enjoy candied ginger (I get some good stuff from World Bazaar).
Last three days without the bike I have been at the Y, on the recumbent bike. To ease the muscle strain/tension in my neck I hold a towel across the back of my neck, which gives some arm workout too. Don't like to think about the neck much, the idea of surgery is pretty unpleasant.
Picked up the bike yesterday, all tuned up and ready for the next 6 months. Funny story - as I am driving home with the bike on the rack on the trunk of the car, I look and notice while the headlight is still there, the tail light is gone. Just the mounting bracket in place. I wonder if it is worth calling the shop. When I get home, I park the bike in the storage room. And there on the bag of the mower is the light - must have gotten knocked off earlier when we were moving a bed out and the whole row of bikes knocked over.
Counting down until no students. All review this week, which is a challenge in itself, keeping it interesting. Plus the kids are becoming more of a handful, and we are cracking down as need be. Just so difficult when we are being instructed by the administration to teach to the test (despite claiming not to).
The holidays mean candy. Ordered some of the annual caramel box (5 pounds) from the Mississippi Abbey. Nuns. Convent. Happy prayerful candy. Which made me think of this candy store near Colorado Springs, in a little touristy town on the way to Pike's Peak. They had tons of cool candy, plus made their own fudge. Oldest daughter found some peppermint ribbon candy the other day which brought back memories. That was the traditional candy growing up for Christmas, aside from my mother's homemade fudge. Nowdays I really enjoy candied ginger (I get some good stuff from World Bazaar).
Last three days without the bike I have been at the Y, on the recumbent bike. To ease the muscle strain/tension in my neck I hold a towel across the back of my neck, which gives some arm workout too. Don't like to think about the neck much, the idea of surgery is pretty unpleasant.
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Tough Day
The start to the day was the killer. Routine morning, actually. Kids in the halls, at lockers, and teachers trying to herd them along from their lockers to homerooms. Some kids loiter at lockers to socialize, others pretend to check our message boards to see if they need their books, while actually moving to other areas to socialize or whatnot. One boy goes from the extreme end of our classrooms to the other, to trade a non-standard handshake with another boy. We have rules about that, not that every "handshake" is a sign or signal, or that they are in some way "wrong", but they are not allowed, mainly to avoid masking actual gang signs. Anyhow, I told them they knew better, and I got backtalk. As in "this is OK to do, and you can't tell us otherwise."
At the far end of the hall is an Assistant Principal. In fact, the one assigned to 7th grade. While they boys are giving me lip about being asked not to do the hand signals, I bring them to the assistant. Who ignores me. I needed him to put in his two cents about what is allowed and appropriate in school, and he did nothing.
I went to him afterwards, and even in presence of the principal, he dressed me down for raising my voice and making a scene with the boys. In other words, he won't back me up if my actions don't meet his criteria. Never mind that other, non-white teachers can and do get louder, more aggressive and even physical with students. . . I can't raise my voice or it is perceived as confrontational. And the kids have begun to know this, and take advantage of it. I am on the receiving end of sanctioned disrespect, and basically was told that I don't manage my students well, since they don't respond to me.
I expected support, and got slapped down. Same assistant who graded me down on my gradebook because he didn't understand my organization, where another teacher on the team got top marks by printing out grades from TeacherEase. Same assistant who we have problems with making any sort of meaningful consequence to students we refer to him.
I let the principal know my feelings on this, mildly. I don't think I will return next year, and today it was a close thing whether I will make it to Winter Break.
At the far end of the hall is an Assistant Principal. In fact, the one assigned to 7th grade. While they boys are giving me lip about being asked not to do the hand signals, I bring them to the assistant. Who ignores me. I needed him to put in his two cents about what is allowed and appropriate in school, and he did nothing.
I went to him afterwards, and even in presence of the principal, he dressed me down for raising my voice and making a scene with the boys. In other words, he won't back me up if my actions don't meet his criteria. Never mind that other, non-white teachers can and do get louder, more aggressive and even physical with students. . . I can't raise my voice or it is perceived as confrontational. And the kids have begun to know this, and take advantage of it. I am on the receiving end of sanctioned disrespect, and basically was told that I don't manage my students well, since they don't respond to me.
I expected support, and got slapped down. Same assistant who graded me down on my gradebook because he didn't understand my organization, where another teacher on the team got top marks by printing out grades from TeacherEase. Same assistant who we have problems with making any sort of meaningful consequence to students we refer to him.
I let the principal know my feelings on this, mildly. I don't think I will return next year, and today it was a close thing whether I will make it to Winter Break.
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Cold cold cold
Below freezing this morning, but rode through the fog of my breath. Wasn't quite as bad as I expected. On the ride home, was feeling full of energy, crossing the last hilltop and got the *flup*flup*flup* of my rear tire being flat. Immediately saw a nailhead, and pulled...and pulled...and kept pulling...the slender nail was 3-4 inches long. So I got to push my bike home for the last mile or so. Going to get it tuned up over the weekend. Brakes checked and tightened, lubrication, etc. In the meantime, the gym.
Kids can sense the end of days, and are starting to get crazy. Smart mouthing, showing no concern if parents are called, the usual stuff. I am being more relaxed about talking, only stopping them when it gets really loud, and they are responding more quickly to requests for quiet, so I guess that is a victory for everybody. One boy with a father who won't talk to him, an older brother in jail, and a mother who spends lavishly on him but won't spend to get him evaluated by a mental health professional. Everybody (except her) sees he is ADHD. To quote his mother: I try to get him to behave. I have cut down on the sugary foods to keep him from being so active, and I tried this attention stuff from Wild Oats (a natural foods store). And I did try to take him for tests at the psychiatrist, but we got there and he said he wasn't crazy and refused to get out of the car, and I was so tired I couldn't argue, so we didn't go in.
Oh, and the Detour bars...flaxseed is not so good if you don't like gas.
Kids can sense the end of days, and are starting to get crazy. Smart mouthing, showing no concern if parents are called, the usual stuff. I am being more relaxed about talking, only stopping them when it gets really loud, and they are responding more quickly to requests for quiet, so I guess that is a victory for everybody. One boy with a father who won't talk to him, an older brother in jail, and a mother who spends lavishly on him but won't spend to get him evaluated by a mental health professional. Everybody (except her) sees he is ADHD. To quote his mother: I try to get him to behave. I have cut down on the sugary foods to keep him from being so active, and I tried this attention stuff from Wild Oats (a natural foods store). And I did try to take him for tests at the psychiatrist, but we got there and he said he wasn't crazy and refused to get out of the car, and I was so tired I couldn't argue, so we didn't go in.
Oh, and the Detour bars...flaxseed is not so good if you don't like gas.
Monday, December 1, 2008
Early Morning
6am (yeah, not early for some people, actually not that early for me, either) and I have time because the weather is cold, windy and wet. Possibility of snow mixed with rain, but not below or even within 5 degrees of freezing, so it won't do anything. Probably will keep some of the marginal kids home, and will definitely keep me off my bicycle. Not a good thing, as I didn't ride all last week, either. Which will be the case in 3 weeks when the Christmas - - excuse me, I meant "winter" break arrives.
The freezer is stuffed with about 100 pounds of turkey. Local grocery store had way too many fresh turkeys with expiration dates of today. So they were on sale yesterday. The big ones, 15 pounds and over were only 29 cents a pound. Since I had freezer space it only made sense to my Yankee frugality to get as many as would fit in there. Frightening, yes, but turkey is easy to include in so many dishes, or even plain.
The freezer is stuffed with about 100 pounds of turkey. Local grocery store had way too many fresh turkeys with expiration dates of today. So they were on sale yesterday. The big ones, 15 pounds and over were only 29 cents a pound. Since I had freezer space it only made sense to my Yankee frugality to get as many as would fit in there. Frightening, yes, but turkey is easy to include in so many dishes, or even plain.
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